Water ski harness



Feb. 7, 1961 H. A. MOLI-NE ET AL WATER SKI HARNESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1958 FIG. 3

INVENTORS HARRY A. MOLINE EDDIE MARTIN ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1961 H. A. MOLINE ETAL 2,970,325

WATER 5x1 HARNESS Filed Feb. 6, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

INVENTORS HARRY A. MOLINE EDDIE MARTIN ATTORNEY United States Patent WATER SKI HARNESS Harry A. Moline, Duluth, Minn., and Eddie Martin, Superior, Wis., assiguors to Moline, Inc., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Feb-6,1958, Ser. No.'713,720

8 Claims. (Cl. 9-310 This invention relates to an improved water ski harness, by means of which the water ski may befastened securely to the foot of a wearer.

In the sport of water skiing there are provided skis which are shorter and somewhat wider than the form of skis used for snow 'skiing. The waterski is, v.of course, used while the wearer is barefoot. For securing the water ski to the foot of the wearer, it has heretofore been customary-to provide a flexible pocket composed of plastic rubberinto which the forepart of thebare foot of the wearer is inserted. Then, in addition, there is provided a flexible heel pocket which'is so located on the ski as to embrace more or less the bare'heel of the wearer.

In the original 'form'of such ski harness it was customary simply to *fasten'the flexible pocket formingmembranes onto'the ski and to rely upon-the resiliency thereof to permit the user'to insert the forepart of his bare foot into the pocket adapted to receive: the same, and then by stretching the heel portion of the attachment to draw it upwardly around the heel.

This form of attachment is subject-tocertain disadvantages in that inorder to provide'security of engagement between the pocket forming members and the forepart andheel of the wearer, they have-to be located from each other so as to 'fit with 1 reasonable accuracy thefoot of the wearer. .Whenso'in'stalled these elements of the skiharness, coul'dtherefore only be used-by wearers having approximately the same size foot. Furthermore thev resiliency-of the pocket forming members decreases with 'age, and, with some materials such as plastic, is neverivery. great, and such forms of construction have beensubject to other disadvantages. 3

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a iski harness wvhereinthe-forepart of the foot is engaged as heretofore flescribed, 'but'in =whichth'e heel engaging portion of the harness is adapted to be moved forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the:heel of the wearer "so as to bring the flexible heel-engaging portion thereof into engagement -.with the heel, even though wearers, having differentzsizes of 'feet, may have occasion to use the skis.

Common forms 'of such"ad-justable ski harness devicesj-have depended upon the use of locking screw nuts, and similar. devices, for drawing 'down the heel carrying portion of the apparatus into frictional contact with the upperxportionofthe ski in its fitted condition. Suc'h devices have, however, been subject to the disadvantage that theyrequirethe loosening and tightening of the holding nuts. Alsothe frictional engagement "between the adjustable heel portion of the harness and the top part of the ski causes a certain amount of wear on the top'part of the ski, thereby, in time, causing the varnish or other coating on the ski material todeteriorate which causes roughness in appearance, water logging, and other disadvantages.

Furthermore, such prior ski harnesses have been capable of. only limited adjustment, and have not provided afull range of adjustmentso as to allow full opening 2,970,325 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 of the harness for insertion of the foot of the wearer, and-this is a disadvantage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved waterski harness capable of full opening so as easily to admit the foot of the wearer, and yet be capable of instantaneous closure to any one of a wide range of adjusted positions for securely gripping the heel of the wearer in the harness.

It is another object of the invention to provide animproved water ski harnessaffording a simplified form of detent mechanism for holding the movable portions of the harness in their adjusted position.

It'is another object of the invention to provide an im-' proved water ski harness apparatus which is safe to use, inwvhich there are no parts capable of being lost, wherein all: protuberances are smoothly formed so as to provide improved comfort for the wearer and to provide for improvement in the ease of adjustment by the wearer.

Other and further objects are those inherent in the invention herein illustrated and described and will be apparent as the description proceeds.

Tothe. accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter 'fullydescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the-principles of theinvention may be employed.

Theiinvention is illustrated in the drawings in which which:

TF-igure l is a perspective view showing a water ski which has installed thereon the improved water .ski harness of thelpresent invention.

Figure 2 is aplan view of the water ski harness of the present invention, showing it in one'of its adjusted positions, gripping the'foot of the wearer.

Figure-3 is'a plan view of the invention, corresponding to'thati'shown in-Figure 2, but showing the-water ski harnessadjusted to its openicondition, ready for the insertion 'ofthe' foot of the wearer thereinto.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a'water ski, having the water ski harness of the present invention installed thereon, this view being taken along the'line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4' of Figure 2.

:Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 4, said .portion being that part under the bracket marked 55.

Figure 6 'is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line and in the direction of arrows '66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line andin the direction of arrows 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a'fragmentary Vertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 8'8 vof Figure 2.

'Figure'9 is an: enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the detent operating mechanisms, as shown in Figures 2 and '3.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan View similar to that shown in Figure 9 but illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1, there is illustrated a water ski 10, which may be :either the right or left water ski. vIt may be noted, parenthetically,

that in respect to water skis it is not usual to make right and left water skis, the two skis being identical. Likewise in respect to the water ski harness apparatus it is usual that the harness fit either foot, and hence the identical form of harness is used on both skis.

Accordingly, only one ski harness need be described.

, The harness consists generally of a front portion generally designated .12. for engaging the front part of the bare foot of the user, and a rear portion, generally designated 11, which is so formed as to be capable of adjustment into engagement with the bare heel of the user. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, upon the ski there is mounted a flexible foot engaging pocket 12 which is clamped down at the right and left sides by slightly curved clamping plates 13 and 14 which are held in place by the screws 15-15. The clamping plates 13 and 14 are generally made of metal and the flexible pocket 12 may be made of rubber or plastic. The pocket 12 is cut or molded so as to provide space at 12a for receiving the instep of the foot of the wearer, and the pocket is generally proportioned so as to readily receive the bare front portion of the foot of the wearer.

The heel-engaging portion of the harness includes a pair of slideways 1616 having a cross-sectional shape as shown in Figures 5 and 7. The cross-sectional shape affords a wide flange 17 at the base, and upstanding section at 18 which is smoothly rounded at 19 and provides an over-hanging portion 21 which presents a face 20. The two slideways or gibs 16-16 are positioned parallel such that the face of one will be directed toward the face 20 of the other. Each of the slides provides a groove 22 wherein the groove of one slide faces the groove of the other slide. It will be noted that the face portion 20 overhangs the flange 17 only to the extent of the horizontal depth dimension of the groove 22 and consequently there is provided a suflicient area of the flange 17 through which attachment screws 24--24 may be placed for holding eachof the gibs 1616 firmly on the ski, and in parallel relationship.

The upper surface of the flange 17 forms a smooth base upon which the slide plate 25 is adapted to rest, the edges 2626 of the slide plate being received in the groove 2222 of the gibs 16. The thickness of the slide plate is such that it is slightly less than the vertical thickness of the groove 22, as viewed in Figures 4, 5, and 7. Enough clearance is permitted in the groove so that grains of sand, etc. do not cause the slide to stick. It is desirable that the edges of the slide plate 25 fit rather loosely in the grooves 22 but at the same time the width be such that the edges 26-26 are always firmly received within the grooves 2222.

The front part of the slide plate is cut so as to provide a curved notch 27 which forms a space sufficiently wide so that the heel of the wearer may be readily received into this space. Upon the upper surface of the slide plate 25, around the edge of the curved notch 27, there is placed the base flange 28 of the flexible heel-engaging member 30. The flexible heel-engaging member is held in place by suitably curved clamping plates 29 that are held in place by screws 9-9, said plates being placed adjacent the base flange 28. Accordingly, when the plate 25 is moved back and forth, the flexible heel-engaging member, which reaches forwardly with respect to the plate 25, will engage the heel of the wearer and hold the foot firmly when the toes and forepart of the foot are received within the flexiblepocket member 1212a.

The slide plate is capable of movement from an operating, foot-engaging condition such as shown in Figure 2, to a retracted condition such as shown in Figure 3. In the retracted condition the rear edge 31 of the slide plate is adapted to abut against a soft rubber button 32 which-is fastened to the ski by means of a screw 33. It is preferable that this button be located 4 such that when the slide plate 25 is moved to the condition shown in Figure 3, a wide space shown by the dimension W will be provided through which the foot of the wearer may be easily passed for sticking the toes and front part of the foot into the pocket formed by the ski and the flexible member 12-A. When this is done, the foot is pushed forward into the pocket, and the user then moves the plate 25 forwardly until the flexible heel-engaging portion grips the heel.

In order to hold the slide plate 25 in any adjusted position into which it may be moved within its range of operating positions, there is provided upon the slide plate a detent mechanism composed of a spring member 40, and two spring manipulating and support finger pieces generally designated 41 and 42. These members 41 and 42 are alike, except that one is a right and the other is a left, and therefore only one (the left one as shown in Figures 2 and 3) is shown in the enlargement of Figures 5-9.

The member 42 is curved so as to provide a finger receiving portion 43, similar in shape to a trigger of a firearm, against which the finger of the user may be placed for imposing a force in the direction of arrow 44 for moving the member 42 pivotally in the direction of arrow 45, around the pivot stud 46 from a full line position such as those shown in Figures 2 and 3, to a disengaging position such as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. Similarly, the member 41 is likewise provided with a curved portion at 47, against which the finger of the user may be placed to impose a force as in the direction of arrow 48 for moving the member 41 arcuately in the direction of the arrow 49 about the vides a head at 50A, a shank at 503, a reduced endstud 50 to cause the member 41 to move from the engaging to a disengaging condition similarly as member 42. Each of the studs 46 and 50 is shaped as shown in Figure 8 for the stud 50. This shape proportion at 500 which thereby abuts against the top of the slide plate 25, with the shank 50B extending through an aperture in the plate, and the riveted lower end at 50D. Accordingly, these studs 50 form a firmv pivot shaft upon which the finger piece 41 as shown in Figure 8 (similarly for finger piece 42) may pivot. It is noted that the hole of 52 in the member 40 (similar for finger piece 42) is of a diameter somewhat larger than the shank 50B, thereby providing a certain looseness of movement for the member 41 (similar for member 42) in respect to the studs 50 and 46 respectively. r

In the front part of each of the members 41 and 42, there is a downwardly facing groove as shown at 54 in Figure 8 for the member 40. This groove is of a sulfi- I and through a similar groove in member 42.

cientdepth to receive the spring 40, which is a flat spring set on edge as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The spring is slightly bowed as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and its ends extend out through the groove 54 of member 41 Thus the spring provides a slightly protruding end at 40A extending' beyond the edge of member 41, and a slightly protruding end of 40B extending slightly beyond the edge of member 42. These ends are chamfered a little bit as shown in Figure 9, so as to provide a biting edge at 40E. At one point along the groove 54 in each of the members 41 and 42, there is a retaining screw 55 and 56 respectfully, each having a large head that is implanted into the member 42 (similar for member 41). The screw is located such that the shank 55A intersects the vertical height of the spring 40. The spring is cut away slightly so as to have a little notch in the upper portion coinciding with the location of the threaded aperture into which the shank 55A of the screw 55 is inserted. Accordingly, when the screw 55 of the member 42 and a similar screw 56 of the member 41 are in place, the ends of the spring 40 are accordingly accurately held from sliding movement .in .the grooves .54 in the .two members 41 and 42. Any tendency of thespring 40 to slip downwardlyout of the grooves 54 of each of the members 41 and 42 is resisted due to the fact that'the bottom part of these finger members is adjacent the upper surface of the slide plate 25. Therefore, while the spring may be thought of as being held against sliding movement endwise of the spring with reference to the finger pieces, it could conceivably move downwardly except that the movement is very slight. 'The bottom side of the spring 40 normally rides in-contact with the upper surface of the plate 25.

The spring is of a length and so proportioned that when the finger pieces 4-1, 42 are moved to the solid lineposition shown in Figure 3, the two ends 40A and 40B of the spring will be positioned at dimension A, which is slightly wider than the distance between the opposed faces -20 of the two slideways .16-16. Therefore when the slide plate is moved in the direction of arrow F, as shown'in "Figure S, there will come a'time when'the ends 49A and 4GB engage the rear rounded corner 16A of the two slide members 1616, and when this occurs there is imposed a rotational force on each of the finger pieces 41-42, tending to rotate them in the direction of arrows 45 and 49 respectively, until the two ends 40A and 40B of the spring are brought to a sufficiently drawn-in condition so that the ends 40A and 40B are at dimension B. Thereafter the ends 40A and 40B slide along the vertical surfaces 29-26 of the two slideways 1616. The amount of drag imposed by the sliding movement of the ends 40A-40B on the surface 2020 of the slideways is not suflicient appreciably to resist the forward motion (in the direction F) of the slide plate 25 and hence the user need only push forwardly on the slide plate or upon the heel pocket 30 to move the heel pocket and the plate 25 to a position whereat the pocket 30 firmly embraces the bare heel of the user, as shown in Figure 2. However, any movement in a reverse direction (opposite to arrow F) is firmly resisted by the tendency of the ends 40A and 40B to indent very slightly into the vertical surface of 20, and thus the slide plate 25 and the heel pocket flexible member 30 are prevented from moving in an opening direction (opposite to arrow F in Figure 3).

In order to release the slide plate 25 and permit it to move from the Figure 2 to Figure 3 position, the user places the thumb against one of the members 41 or 42 and an opposed finger against the other member and moves the portions 43 and 47 in the direction of arrows 45 and 49 of Figure 3. This withdraws the chamfered points 40A and 40B of the spring from engagement with the surface 20 and thereby releases the slide plate and the heel engaging pocket material 30 to permit the entire assembly to move from the Figure 2 to the Figure 3 condition. When in the Figure 3 condition, the user may readily remove his foot from the pocket formed by the member 12 and the ski.

In Figure 10 there is shown a slightly modified form of the invention, wherein the surface 20 on the slide member 16 is provided with tiny serrations 208, which facilitate the engagement of the end 403 of the spring 40, and hold the slide plate 25 from a reverse or opening movement. This form of invention offers certain advantages where extremely heavy forces are likely to be encountered.

For carrying out the invention I prefer to use a plastic material for the members 12 and '50 and to use anodized aluminum to provide a hard and decorative surface for the slideway' 16, the slide plate 25, and the clamping plates 13 and 29.

It is noted that the under surface of the plate 25 is elevated above the upper surface of the ski by the thickness of the flange 17, thereby providing a free passage through which sand,.,grit and .otherextraneousmaterial may readily pass, rather than locking.

In view of thefact that many modifications and variations of this invention ashereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit andscope thereof, the specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only .by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A ski harness for holding a foot in place .on a ski comprising a forward flexible covering to be mounted on the forward portion of the ski-for holding theforward portion of a foot, a slide plate to v.be slidably mounted for longitudinal movement with respectto said ski, a heel engaging flexible covering mounted on-said slide plate, a pair of gibs to be mounted .on the rearwardly of the forward, flexible covering such thatfthe heel engaging fiexiblecovering may bemovedinto and out of engagement with the heelof a footand vmeans mounted on the slideplate for engaging eachof the gibs to hold the slide plate .in .an adjusted position, said meansincluding elongate d-gib engaging. means for simultaneously engaging both gibs to restrain movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction longitudinally with respect to the forward flexible covering, said engaging means being movable to freely permit rearward movement of said slide plate, an actuator connected to each opposite end portion of the gib engaging means for moving said gib engaging means to disengaged condition relative to the gibs, and for each actuator, means pivotally securing the respective actuator on the slide plate for movement to permit the adjacent end portion of the gib engaging means being moved to alternately restrain movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction and freely permit movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the means for engaging the gibs includes a spring that exerts a force for restraining movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction with respect to the forward flexible covering.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the edges of the gibs engaged by the aforementioned gib engaging means are serrated.

4. A ski harness for holding a foot in place on a ski having a forward flexible portion under which the toe and instep of the foot may be inserted, a heel engaging flexible covering, a slide plate carrying said covering mounted for movement longitudinally in respect to the foot, a pair of slide gibs embracing the side edges of the plate for holding it against movement except along the longitudinal axis of the harness, and means for restraining movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction longitudinally with respect to the forward flexible portion, said means including an elongated spring member extending transversely of the slide plate, said spring member being of a length so as to be engageable with each of the gibs and actuator means pivotally mounted on the slide plate one at each of the ends of the flexible member and attached thereto for flexing the spring member for withdrawing the ends thereof from engagement with the gibs and for holding the spring member from displacement relative to the slide plate and gibs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further characterized in that each of the gibs has an upper and a lower inwardly extending portion for retaining the slide plate for sliding movement t-herebetween.

6. A water ski comprising a harness for holding a foot in place on a ski having a forward flexible portion under which the toe and the instep of the foot may be inserted, a heel engaging flexible covering, a slide plate carrying said heel covering mounted for movement longitudinally in respect to the foot, a pair of slide gibs embracing the side edges of the plate for holding it against move ment except along the longitudinal axis of the harness,

and spring means mounted on the slide plate to bear against the gibs for restraining movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction longitudinally with respect to the harness, said spring means being composed of a flat spring mounted so as to be in a bowed condition when the ends of the spring are in engagement with the gibs, the centermost portions of the spring being forwardly, and means connecting the end portions of the flat spring to the slide plate for holding the end portions of the spring from displacing movement in a direction perpendicularly outwardly from the plate.

' 7. A ski harness for holding a foot in place on a ski having a forward flexible portion under which the toe and instep of the foot may be inserted, a heel engaging flexible covering, a slide plate carrying said covering mounted for movement longitudinally in respect to the foot, a pair of slide gibs embracing the side edges of the plate for holding it against movement except along the longitudinal axis of the harness, spring means mounted on the slide plate to bear against at least one gib for restraining movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction longitudinally with respect to the a 8 harness, said spring means being flexible and capable of being withdrawn from said gib so as to permit movement of the slide plate in a rearward direction, a pivot on the slide plate adjacent that portion of the spring means which bears against said gib, and actuator means pivotally connected to the slide plate on said pivot and attached to said spring means for moving the spring means from a position where the spring restrains the rearward movement of the slide plate to said withdrawn position freely permitting rearward movement of said slide plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further characterized in that the actuator means is loosely mounted on the pivot to permit limited movement of the actuator means in a plane parallel to the slide plate in addition to pivotal movement of said actuator means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wagner Feb. 18, 1958 2,866,210 Romig Dec. 30, 1958 

